Hoeven, Baucus Calling for Keystone XL Meeting

By CnAgri Print

North Dakota Senator John Hoeven and Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus led a bipartisan group of 18 senators in calling for a meeting with President Obama to urge action on the Keystone XL Pipeline project.

"The election is over, people want us to work together to create jobs, and one sure way we can create jobs right now is by moving forward with construction on the Keystone XL Pipeline," Baucus said. "We've spent more than four years producing studies and addressing environmental and property concerns -- there's no excuse to keep Keystone jobs on hold any longer."

"The Keystone XL pipeline represents not only thousands of jobs and growth for the nation's economy, but also a big step toward American energy independence," Hoeven said. "We can become energy independent in America within five to seven years, but we must commit to moving forward with important projects like the Keystone XL pipeline."

Earlier this week, the International Energy Agency predicted the United States is on track to surpass Saudi Arabia as the world's largest oil producer in about five years and will become self-sufficient in energy production by 2035. The Keystone XL Pipeline would carry Montana and North Dakota oil from the Bakken and other oil-bearing formations.

The following Senators joined Baucus and Hoeven's letter: Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), David Vitter (R-La.), Jim Webb (D-VA), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio).